Which term denotes short-long, pentameter = 5 meters, or 10 feet?

Which term denotes short-long, pentameter = 5 meters, or 10 feet?

• A. Pyrrhic
• B. Iamb
• C. Trochee
• D. Anapest

Answer: (A)

This question tests understanding of metrical feet in poetry and how a line of pentameter is built from five of those feet. A foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable is called an iamb. When a line has five iambs, that’s iambic pentameter, which totals ten syllables arranged in a short-long rhythm. So, the pattern described as short-long points to the iamb, and five of these in a line give iambic pentameter. Pyrrhic would be two unstressed syllables, Trochee is stressed-unstressed, and Anapest is two unstressed followed by a stressed foot, so none of those match the short-long pattern as directly as the iamb.

This question tests understanding of metrical feet in poetry and how a line of pentameter is built from five of those feet. A foot with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable is called an iamb. When a line has five iambs, that’s iambic pentameter, which totals ten syllables arranged in a short-long rhythm.

So, the pattern described as short-long points to the iamb, and five of these in a line give iambic pentameter. Pyrrhic would be two unstressed syllables, Trochee is stressed-unstressed, and Anapest is two unstressed followed by a stressed foot, so none of those match the short-long pattern as directly as the iamb.